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David Cope is a poet in the Objectivist tradition and the founder of Nada Press, a small press which publishes the literary magazine and other poetry. Cope, a University of Michigan graduate and lifelong Michigan resident, taught literature and writing at Grand Rapids Community College and Western Michigan University. The collection documents Cope's writing, editing, and to some extent teaching and other spheres of Cope's life, through correspondence, manuscripts, notes, printed material, photographs, and videotapes.

David Cope made his first donation of papers to the Special Collections Research Center in 1987. Since then he has continued to make frequent contributions. The David Cope Papers cover Cope's writing and correspondence from the 1970s to the present, as well as his editing and teaching activities. In addition to offering insight into Cope's work, the collection details some of the activities and thoughts of friends and fellow writers and poets; in particular, Allen Ginsberg, Jim Cohn, Antler, and Jeff Poniewaz. Not currently well-documented are the more personal aspects of Cope's life--especially his family life--except for those details made available through his writings and correspondence.

The David Cope Papers are divided into eight series: Correspondence and Name Files, Writings, Editing Materials, Teaching and Education Materials, Publicity Materials, Personal, Photographs, and Audio/Visual. A small selection of books from Cope's library have been removed from the collection and have been cataloged individually. They are shelved by call number in Special Collections and can be requested through the Library's catalog.

University of Michigan professor of Germanic Language, Literature, and Culture, scholar and translator of East and Central European literature, poet. Correspondence with authors, scholars, poets, and editors; manuscript and printed versions of poetry printed by George's Kylix Press; notes, drafts, typescripts, and proofs of articles, reviews, and the major editorial works "Contemporary East European poetry," and "Husbanding the golden grain: studies in honor of Henry W. Nordmeyer."

Correspondence with authors, scholars, poets, and editors; manuscript and printed versions of poetry printed by George's Kylix Press; notes, drafts, typescripts, and proofs of articles, reviews, and the major editorial works "Contemporary East European poetry,"(Ardis Press, 1983; Oxford University Press, 1993), and "Husbanding the golden grain: studies in honor of Henry W. Nordmeyer," (University of Michigan, 1973). Also includes large series on Friedrich Holderlin and Miklos Radnoti, reflecting George's primary subjects of research and translation.